Venus Williams injures wrist, will skip Aussie

Venus Williams withdrew from the Australian Open on Wednesday because of an aggravated left-wrist injury. She joins top-ranked Justine Henin-Hardenne (personal reasons) on the sideline for the first Grand Slam of the season, which is scheduled to start Monday. Williams had an injury-plagued 2006, playing only two matches after Wimbledon and finishing at No. 48 in the rankings. She never has won the Australian Open and was ousted in the first round last year by Tsvetana Pironkova.

MORE TENNIS: Top-seeded Amelie Mauresmo lost 7-5, 6-0 to Jelena Jankovic in the quarterfinals of the Sydney International in Australia. . . . Serena Williams lost 3-6, 7-5, 6-3 to Sybille Bammer in the quarterfinals of the Hobart International in Australia. . . . Roger Federer shook off some rust in a 7-6 (2), 6-7 (4), 7-6 (5) victory against Radek Stepanek in the Kooyong exhibition tournament.

Left-hander Mark Mulder is staying with the St. Louis Cardinals, agreeing to a two-year contract for $13 million that could be worth up to $45,075,000 over three seasons. Mulder, recovering from rotator-cuff surgery, is expected to miss the first half of next season. He also had been negotiating with the Cleveland Indians and Texas Rangers.

MORE BASEBALL: The tumor that was removed from former New York Yankees outfielder Bobby Murcer's brain during surgery last month in Houston was malignant. Murcer, 60, is a Yankees broadcaster. . . . Right-hander John Thomson said he chose to sign with the Toronto Blue Jays over the Mets, because he didn't want to pitch to New York catcher Paul Lo Duca. "I'm not really into how he acts behind the plate," said Thomson, who spent the past three seasons with the Atlanta Braves. . . . The Mets and left-handed reliever Scott Schoeneweis reached a preliminary agreement on a three-year contract for $10.8 million. . . . Florida Marlins left-hander Dontrelle Willis pleaded not guilty to drunken driving in Miami Beach, stemming from his arrest Dec. 22. . . . San Francisco Giants right-handed reliever Tim Worrell, 39, retired. . . . Former manager Frank Robinson will not return to the Washington Nationals with any sort of full-time job. Robinson managed the franchise for the past five seasons, including three as the Expos in Montreal.

Football

Starr case goes to court

An 81-year-old Texas woman was set to appear in federal court today in Birmingham, Ala., following her indictment on extortion charges for an alleged scheme to get $2 million from Hall of Fame quarterback Bart Starr. The indictment said Ruby Y. Young of Kerrville mailed letters around Oct. 30 and Nov. 20 last year with the intent to extort money under "a threat to injure the reputation" of the recipient. Authorities said last month that the letters alleged an encounter with Starr in 1960 and sought $2 million. No money was paid.

Cycling

Report: Doc sought cash

The Spanish doctor at the center of a doping scandal asked cyclists for bonuses of up to $64,600 if they won the Tour of France, Spanish media reported. Eufemiano Fuentes asked for $38,800 if they came in second and $25,800 if they finished third, Madrid daily ABC reported. He faces charges of crimes against public health.

MORE MISCELLANEOUS: Carlos Sainz won the fifth stage of the Dakar Rally in Tan-Tan, Morocco, to keep the overall lead. The race will conclude Jan. 20 in Dakar, Senegal. . . . The three cities vying for the 2014 Winter Olympics -- Pyeongchang, South Korea; Salzburg, Austria; and Sochi, Russia -- submitted their final bid documents to the International Olympic Committee. The winning city will be announced July 4 in Guatemala City. . . . The Hydrogen Electric Racing Federation was unveiled in Detroit, the first step toward on-track competition for hydrogen electric fuel cell-powered racing beginning in 2009.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

'I don't want to play for more than 10 years in the LPGA. I would like to be a more normal person, to have a family, that God gives me the opportunity to have kids.'

-- Lorena Ochoa, the 2006 LPGA Player of the Year. Ochoa, 25, is entering her 4th year on tour.

STAT OF THE DAY

13

Number of pro men's tournaments that Michelle Wie has played, heading into the Sony Open in Honolulu today. She has made the cut once.

ON THIS DAY

1984

The Denver Nuggets defeat the San Antonio Spurs 163-155 in the highest-scoring regulation-length game in NBA history.

LAST WORD

The news about Bobby Murcer reminds usall that the games we love to playand watch are just that -- games.